Orangeburg County

Orangeburg County, South Carolina — Key Demographics

Population size

• 84,223 (2020 Decennial Census)

Age

• Median age: about 41 years
• Under 18: about 20%
• 65 and older: about 20%

Gender

• Female: about 53%
• Male: about 47%

Racial/ethnic composition (2020 Census)

• Black or African American (alone): about 62%
• White (alone): about 32%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): about 3%
• Two or more races: about 2%
• Asian (alone): about 1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, and other: under 1% combined

Household data (ACS 5-year, most recent)

• Households: about 31,000–32,000
• Average household size: about 2.4–2.5
• Family households: roughly two-thirds of all households
• Homeownership rate: around 70%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 5-year estimates, latest available). Figures rounded for clarity.

• Estimated email users: ~56,000 in Orangeburg County (≈84% of adults; ≈67% of total residents), reflecting high email adoption among internet users.
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 18–34: ~15,100 (≈90% of this group)
  • 35–64: ~28,800 (≈88%)
  • 65+: ~12,100 (≈72%)
• Gender split: Population is ~53.5% female; email users mirror this at ~54% female and ~46% male.
• Digital access and usage:
  • Households with any internet subscription: ~79%
  • Households with a fixed broadband subscription (cable/DSL/fiber): ~75%
  • No home internet: ~21%
  • Cellular-only internet access: ~16% of households, indicating many residents rely on smartphones for email.
• Local density/connectivity facts:
  • Population ~84,000 across ~1,106 sq mi (≈76 people per sq mi), with many rural tracts where fixed broadband subscription lags the City of Orangeburg and Santee.
  • Broadband subscription rates remain below South Carolina’s statewide average, though ongoing fiber buildouts by regional providers are improving coverage and uptake. Insights: Email is nearly universal among connected adults, with strongest adoption in working-age groups; older adults’ lower internet subscription rates drive most gaps. Rural density and infrastructure constraints correlate with higher smartphone-only reliance.

Mobile phone usage in Orangeburg County, South Carolina — 2025 snapshot

Key scale and adoption

• Residents and households: ~84,200 residents (2020 Census) across roughly 31,500 households.
• Adult smartphone users: ≈55,000–56,000 adults use a smartphone (derived from ACS and Pew adoption rates applied to the county’s adult population).
• Smartphone‑only households: About 18% of households rely on a smartphone and a cellular data plan without a fixed home broadband subscription, equating to roughly 5,500–6,000 households.

How Orangeburg differs from South Carolina overall

• Higher reliance on mobile data for home internet:
  • Smartphone‑only households: Orangeburg ≈18% vs South Carolina ≈13%.
  • Households with a cellular data plan (any mobile device): Orangeburg ≈74% vs SC ≈81%.
• Lower fixed broadband subscription:
  • Households with cable/DSL/fiber at home: Orangeburg ≈69% vs SC ≈80%.
  • Any internet subscription (fixed or mobile): Orangeburg ≈78% vs SC ≈85%.
• Slightly lower device penetration:
  • Households with a smartphone: Orangeburg ≈86% vs SC ≈90%.
  • Households with any computer (desktop/laptop/tablet): Orangeburg ≈83% vs SC ≈89%. These figures are consistent with 2018–2022 ACS 5‑year estimates and statewide ACS benchmarks.

Demographic drivers of mobile usage

• Race/ethnicity mix increases smartphone dependence: Orangeburg County is majority Black (about 60% Black, ~33–35% White, ~3–4% Hispanic/Latino). Nationally and in South Carolina, Black adults are more likely than White adults to be smartphone‑dependent for internet access; the county’s demographic profile lifts smartphone‑only rates above the state average.
• Income and poverty intensify mobile‑first behavior: Median household income is below the state median, and poverty rates are materially higher than the state. Lower income correlates with higher prepaid plan usage and lower fixed broadband take‑up, reinforcing reliance on mobile data.
• Student presence boosts near‑universal smartphone adoption among young adults: South Carolina State University and Claflin University concentrate 18–24 year‑olds who exhibit very high smartphone adoption and heavy mobile app usage, even as many off‑campus areas have limited fixed broadband choices.
• Older residents: A larger share of seniors than in university‑centric cities contributes to lower computer ownership and more voice/SMS‑centric usage among some households, though telehealth has increased smartphone adoption among seniors without home broadband.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Cellular networks:
  • 4G LTE is broadly available on major corridors (I‑26, US‑301/601) and in the City of Orangeburg and towns such as Santee, Holly Hill, and North, with weaker signal persistence in heavily wooded or low‑lying rural areas.
  • 5G low‑band: Countywide outdoor coverage from national carriers is common; service is strongest in Orangeburg, along I‑26, and near larger towns.
  • 5G mid‑band (capacity 5G): Concentrated in Orangeburg’s urban core and along main transport routes; patchier in rural tracts. Millimeter‑wave is effectively limited to small urban pockets, if present.
• Fixed broadband context that shapes mobile use:
  • Cable broadband (e.g., Spectrum) is available in Orangeburg and a few towns; AT&T offers DSL with selective fiber buildouts. Electric‑co‑op and municipal fiber expansions are occurring at the edges and within the city but remain incomplete countywide.
  • Fixed wireless home internet (5G FWA) from T‑Mobile and, in limited areas, Verizon is emerging along highways and town centers, offering an alternative where cable or fiber are absent.
• Affordability and policy:
  • The 2024 wind‑down of the federal Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) has a disproportionate impact locally because Orangeburg’s per‑capita ACP participation was above the state average; as credits lapse, households shift to mobile‑only access or lower‑tier plans, raising smartphone‑only dependence further relative to the state.

What the numbers imply for usage in Orangeburg

• Mobile as the primary on‑ramp: A larger share of households than the state rely on smartphones and cellular data as their main internet connection, driving heavy use of messaging, social media, streaming on mobile screens, and hotspotting for schoolwork.
• Plan mix skews value‑oriented: Prepaid and budget postpaid plans with data deprioritization are more prevalent than statewide, reflecting income and the role of mobile as a substitute for home broadband.
• Coverage consistency matters more than peak speeds: Residents prioritize reliable signal and indoor coverage in dispersed rural housing over the very highest 5G speeds, which are concentrated in the city.
• Digital equity focus areas: Expanding mid‑band 5G and fixed wireless capacity in rural tracts, accelerating fiber/co‑op builds beyond town limits, and replacing ACP support with state or local affordability programs would narrow the county’s gap with statewide fixed broadband adoption.

Summary metrics (best available public data; ACS 2018–2022 and statewide benchmarks)

• Households with a smartphone: Orangeburg ≈86% (SC ≈90%)
• Households with a cellular data plan: Orangeburg ≈74% (SC ≈81%)
• Households with fixed broadband (cable/DSL/fiber): Orangeburg ≈69% (SC ≈80%)
• Any internet subscription: Orangeburg ≈78% (SC ≈85%)
• Smartphone‑only households: Orangeburg ≈18% (SC ≈13%)
• Estimated adult smartphone users: ~55,000–56,000 These differences show Orangeburg is more mobile‑dependent and less fixed‑broadband‑connected than South Carolina overall, a pattern driven by demographics, income, and the county’s mixed urban‑rural infrastructure profile.

Orangeburg County, SC social media snapshot (2025)

Population base

• Estimated total population: ~84,000
• Adults (18+): ~64,500

Overall usage

• Adult social-media adoption: 83% of adults (53,500 people) use at least one platform
• Gender among social-media users: ~55% female, ~45% male (reflecting a female-leaning county and slightly higher female adoption)

Age mix of social-media users (approximate share of total users)

• 18–29: 21% (11,000 users)
• 30–49: 35% (18,700 users)
• 50–64: 25% (13,100 users)
• 65+: 19% (10,200 users)

Most-used platforms (estimated share of all adults 18+, with approximate user counts)

• YouTube: 80% (51,600 adults)
• Facebook: 72% (46,400)
• Instagram: 40% (25,800)
• Pinterest: 31% (20,000)
• TikTok: 28% (18,100)
• Snapchat: 22% (14,200)
• WhatsApp: 22% (14,200)
• LinkedIn: 22% (14,200)
• X (Twitter): 18% (11,600)
• Reddit: 17% (11,000)
• Nextdoor: 12% (7,700)

Behavioral trends

• Community-first usage: Facebook is the daily hub for local news, school updates, churches, civic groups, high school sports, and Marketplace. Groups and local Pages drive most organic reach and discussion.
• Video-forward consumption: YouTube dominates for music, sports highlights, how-to/DIY, and church service replays; Reels/Shorts perform well cross-posted to Facebook and Instagram.
• Youth clusters around campuses: SC State and Claflin students skew toward Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat for events, student orgs, and nightlife; Stories and short-form video outperform static posts.
• Shopping and services: Heavy reliance on Facebook Marketplace and local buy/sell groups for vehicles, appliances, rentals, and home services; Messenger is a common contact channel for small businesses.
• News and weather: Strong engagement with local outlets and public agencies for storms, road closures, and school district announcements; timely posts see fast comment cascades and shares.
• Timing patterns: Engagement typically peaks early evenings (7–10 pm) and weekend mornings; school-year schedules and church times visibly shape weekend traffic.
• Gender nuances: Women over-index on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest (community, events, décor, recipes); men over-index on YouTube, Reddit, and X (sports, tech, commentary). TikTok trends skew female but are broadly cross-demographic locally.
• Rural tilt: Platform mix is more Facebook-heavy and slightly less Instagram/TikTok/Snapchat than large metros, but short-form video is growing fast across age groups.

Notes on methodology

• Figures are best-available local estimates built from U.S. Census Bureau population structure for Orangeburg County and Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. social media adoption rates (with rural adjustments). Counts represent adults and reflect multi-platform usage, so platform totals are not mutually exclusive.